Interesting Takeaways From Fangraphs’ Rays Prospect Rankings

There wasn’t a clear headliner in the return when the Rays shipped Shane Baz to Baltimore for a prospect haul. They targeted quantity over a clear top name from the Orioles’ system, and it left them with a tantalizing assortment of talent. So far, the star from this package has been Caden Bodine.

Bodine received high praise among catchers in his draft class as a premier contact bat. Manning the backstop at Coastal Carolina, he was lauded for possessing a rare blend of elite bat-to-ball skills while still playing respectable defense. It’s an unlikely combination at a catching position that has a reputation for being an offensive void.

Tampa Bay, a franchise famously known for failing to develop notable homegrown catchers, may have found its first. Bodine has taken off this year with a carrying contact tool that may be even better than most scouts thought.

With a 360/.422/.545 batting line and nine home runs, he has obliterated A-Ball and High-A pitching. It’s quickly made him the fastest riser in this Tampa Bay system (FanGraphs ranks him second), and he was promoted to Double-A this Tuesday.

A Realistic Outlook on Carson Williams

Still a promising part of the Rays’ future, shortstop Carson Williams is having trouble bridging the gap to the majors. A tremendous athletic profile who possesses a near-elite glove, Williams' swing and miss issues have cast doubt over his long-term outlook.

FanGraphs still sees him as a 50 Future Value player to be counted on as a key cog in the Rays’ future. While his unsightly contact rates make any front office nervous, scouts still see him as such a stellar defender, taking the defense with major swings in offensive production.

Tampa Bay, in particular, knows what it’s like to employ a glove-first shortstop who takes his lumps batting in Taylor Walls. Williams is trending to be a version of that, but with a lot more power. Perhaps it’s a disappointment to those who believed Williams had the type of potential to be a star shortstop, but the realistic outlook is still a positive everyday contributor.

Brayden Taylor’s Redemption Arc

Publications everywhere agree that Brayden Taylor’s momentous struggles of 2025 are a thing of the past. A complete swing overhaul has allowed him to get his strikeouts under control and more broadly cover the strike zone.

Taylor’s pedigree as a first-round pick and TCU’s all-time career home run record holder made his past struggles feel all too much like an aberration. Taylor’s mature approach at the plate that blends patience with hard exit velocities is alive and well, and he now finds himself thriving in his age-24 season at Double-A.

It’s one of the best developments Tampa Bay can find in its system, as there was a point in his minor league season last year that got ugly. Seeing him flourish while fixing his swing and strikeout issues is a credit to the Rays’ minor league staff, whose continued patience with Taylor paid off. 

Pitching Depth Faces New Questions 

Tampa Bay has seen meaningful production and strides made by many top hitters this minor league season. FanGraphs especially commends Theo Gillen, Nathan Flewelling, and Taitn Grey as enormously talented and gifted hitters, seeing everything click for them.

FanGraphs isn’t so crazy about the pitching, ranking promising arms further down than one would expect. 

Brody Hopkins hasn’t necessarily been given diminishing grades, yet the reviews on him inch closer to a relief role with an ever-increasing command issue. Their projection for him being called up late in the season in a relief role for a playoff run gives shades of early Shane McClanahan and Drew Rasmussen.

Santiago Suarez was knocked down for the lack of a successful secondary offering that the writers at FanGraphs see as a major developmental milestone he will need to pass. Still, being bumped to 17th while still possessing close to elite control at just 21 years old in Double-A feels like an overreaction for a still very young pitcher.

Tampa Bay’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year, TJ Nichols, also received a significant drop in rankings, reflecting his precipitous drop in results. Last season was a significant breakout and step forward for Nichols, who saw his control issues fade.

The bad news was that it was something of an overperformance and due for a drop-off. His stuff has lost a mile per hour or two this season, and it’s dimmed his star power on the mound.